The ability of an organization to mobilize knowledge when and where it is needed is fundamental for organizational performance. When done effectively, this ability can help organizations reduce repeated mistakes, spread innovation and best practices, and avoid dedicating resources to problems that have been solved previously. To date, various organizational mechanisms to govern knowledge have been proposed and implemented, yet they have had limited and varying effects on knowledge mobilization. Thus, there is a pressing need to better understand how to govern knowledge and effect knowledge mobilization across the entire organization.
Knowledge governance is concerned with how the deployment of organizational mechanisms influences knowledge processes, i.e., the creation, retention, and sharing of knowledge. Traditionally, knowledge is governed in organizations through social and control mechanisms through the implementation of Communities of Practice (CoPs) and hierarchical reporting structures. In addition to these traditional mechanisms, this research will analyze the creation of a new form of knowledge governance - a knowledge market, where knowledge is created, priced and sold internally - within a multinational engineering organization. Thus, this research builds from institutional theory, transaction cost economics and the knowledge-based view of the firm to (i) analyze the design and evolvement of an internal knowledge market; (ii) compare and contrast the governance of knowledge through internal knowledge markets and traditional Communities of Practice; and (iii) analyze how different forms of governance affect knowledge mobilization.
Intellectual Merit This research is expected to expand upon theories of intra-organizational knowledge governance. Specifically, by analyzing a new form of knowledge governance (i.e., internal knowledge markets), this research introduces market mechanisms into intra-organizational analysis. In addition, this research will create a theoretical framework for analyzing and comparing different forms of knowledge governance (e.g., centralized approaches vs. CoPs vs. internal knowledge markets) and determining the effects of these governance strategies on knowledge creation, renewal, reach within an organization.
Broader Impacts This research will engage industry throughout the data collection and analysis process to validate and refine our findings. A toolkit and best practice guide on how to create an effective internal knowledge market and how different governance forms affect knowledge mobilization will be created and disseminated to organizations. In addition, a course module will be created from this research for teaching in Universities. Overall, the research aims to aid knowledge intensive organizations, such as engineering organizations with globally distributed knowledge workers, in their mobilization of knowledge to increase productivity and improve performance through the implementation of more efficient knowledge governance mechanisms.
